


Marionette

by ImaginaRose



Series: Marionette [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien says fuck, Akumatized Main Character(s), Akumatized Marinette Dupain-Cheng, And Lila get's called a bitch, Angst, Angst and Humor, Crack, Cross-Posted on Tumblr, F/M, Gen, Identity Reveal, Mild Language, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-07
Updated: 2018-12-07
Packaged: 2019-09-13 20:34:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16899450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ImaginaRose/pseuds/ImaginaRose
Summary: Even the kindest people have a line. And Marinette's was just crossed.





	Marionette

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this in one afternoon, basically on the spot. It was supposed to be angst, but it somehow didn't work out. Enjoy.  
> Will be cross-posted on Tumblr, in probably four or five parts, since it's too long otherwise.  
> Also, if you want to see, what I had in mind for Marionette's look, give this post of mine a look: https://imaginarose.tumblr.com/post/180931307020/marionette-look

She slammed the door of the classroom behind her.

Tears streamed down her cheeks, as she hid herself behind one of the desks.

Tikki flew out of her purse, worry in her look.

“It’s going to be okay, Marinette.” the tiny goddess whispered to her Chosen. “I’m here…”

“You can’t change anything.” Marinette shook her head, sobbing. “Nobody can…”

Lila’s words echoed in her head. _Stalker. Creep._

“You know Lila’s a liar. You can’t let her lies get to you.”

“You didn’t see how they looked at me.” Marinette’s voice was shaking, as pulled her knees closer to her body. “Even Adrien…”

“Adrien knows Lila’s a liar.”

“You hear them, Tikki… _I always had a weird feeling about all those photos in her room._ ” Marinette made an impression of Alya. “ _That schedule she has is pretty creepy._ ” Then, Juleka’s slow, deep voice. “They think I’m some kind of… pervert.”

“I’m sure it’s not as bad as it seems…”

“Everyone knows I have those pictures, remember? And the girls saw the schedule. All Lila had to do was to throw some bait and they turned against me.” She sobbed and hid her head between her knees. “I’m a failure.”

“That’s not true…” the Kwami tried to calm her down. “You’re wonderful, smart… you’re the best Ladybug I’ve had…”

“What does it matter, when you’re the only one who thinks that?” Marinette muttered.

“Marinette, you can’t be like this. You’ll attract another akuma!” Tikki reminded her.

“You think it’s easy? That I can just wave my hand and make it all go away?” Marinette didn’t even realize she was raising her voice.

“You’re Ladybug… you can’t get akumatized… there would be nobody to save Paris, then.”

“Then maybe I shouldn’t be Ladybug.” Marinette looked at the Kwami, as the tears begun to dry, turning into rage. “If I can’t handle all of this.”

“That’s not what I meant…” the Kwami defended herself.

“Well, it certainly sounded like it.” Marinette hissed, as she took off her earrings. They seemed normal in her hand.

“You can’t just give up, Marinette. Paris needs Ladybug.” Tikki sounded desperate.

“You’re not helping, Tikki.” Marinette whispered. “I’m done. I can’t continue.”

“Marinette!” the Kwami squeaked.

“Which part of _I’m done_ you didn’t understand?” Marinette threw the earrings into the corner of the room. They ringed on the floor and Tikki disappeared. Suddenly, the classroom fell silent, except for Marinette’s sobbing.

Then, she heard it. The fluttering.

She got up and turned around. She saw the akuma but couldn’t get away from it. She watched in horror as the akuma melted into Adrien’s lucky charm.

Then, the voice sounded in her head.

“They have cast you out. All the help you’ve given them, and they still want more.”

All of the anger she kept inside ever since she became Ladybug begun seeping onto the surface. And it seemed to be getting stronger.

His voice was calm, determined. It was tempting to listen.

 _No!_ Somewhere, somehow, she found the strength to fight back. Or… try it at least.

“I don’t want your power.” she exclaimed.

She felt powerless and weak, and he knew it. She didn’t believe her words. She half-cried the words of her refusal. Her pleas were empty and her will weakened. She might have fought back, but she knew she was going to lose.

“You have sacrificed so much for them, and they never did as much as to thanks you.” Hawkmoth continued.

 _Oh, you don’t know the half of it_ , she thought. She tried to focus, but her emotions kept getting in the way. It almost felt like the akuma was amplifying all of the rage she had left to fester inside of her. She clutched her fist.

“Get out of my head!” she shouted. Trying to focus hurt. her heart was racing. She knew she wouldn’t be able to hold on for much longer.

“Don’t resist. I want to help you.” His tone became softer. “I can give you the power you need to prove Lila is a liar and get revenge on those, who turned against you.”

It was so tempting.

She kept trying to focus, even when it felt like her head was going to explode.

“You don’t help anybody.” she cried out. She was running out of ideas.

“We both know that isn’t true.”

_All the akumas got, what they wanted in the end._

“Stop fighting it.” She heard someone calling out her name. Someone far away. “I offer you power and loyalty. Why keep fighting it?”

_Why?_

_What about Paris?_

_What about them? What have they ever done for you?_

“It’s the only way you can make them listen.”

 _He’s right_.

“And all you have to do to get that is bring me the Ladybug and Chat Noir Miraculous.”

Someone pulled on her arm. They were talking to her, but she couldn’t understand. She barely recognized the voice – Adrien. Her eyes wandered to the earrings laying in the corner.

 _It would be so easy_.

“I accept.”

Two simple words, that meant her surrender. Two words, and the world was lost.

***

Adrien knew the moment Marinette burst out of the room, that something was going to happen. He couldn’t believe his ears, when he heard, how the girls joined in on Lila’s accusation.

He didn’t say anything. He just left the cafeteria and went to look for Marinette. Even the gentlest of people had their limit and something was telling him, that Marinette’s was just crossed.

He didn’t want to fight his _Purrincess_.

Then, he heard it. The screaming.

“Get out of my head!” There was so much desperation in her voice, that it hurt. He followed the sound to an empty classroom. She was sitting there, clutching her head, crying.

The pink mask in front of her face told him everything he had to know. Marinette was fighting back. It didn’t seem possible. He never saw anyone fight back. She seemed to be in pain.

“You don’t help anybody!”

“Marinette!” he called out her name, as he ran to her. She looked up after a moment. He pulled on her arm, hoping – praying – she would snap out of it. “Please… don’t listen to him.”

The pained grimace disappeared from her face, as she spoke, this time more confident. More scary.

“I accept.”

Two simple words – and he knew she lost. He almost jumped back, as she stood up and the dark energy engulfed her.

“Marinette.” he called out again.

The energy disappeared. Marinette’s skin became paler, her hair darker. Her usual jacket and jeans turned into something resembling from that angle a Chinese Qipao. She had fingerless gloves on her hands, decorated with black strings reaching to each finger. Similar strings wrapped around her arms and leggings.

She bended over and picked up something from the ground. Then, she turned to him.

He gasped.

Her lips were bright shade of red. And while her eyes seemed the same as usual, the happiness and kindness disappeared.

She looked like a vampire.

She stepped closer to him and reached out with her hand, smiling.

“Adrien… I didn’t notice you there.” she said, still smiling. He reluctantly took her hand and she helped him stand up. “I hope I didn’t scare you. You don’t believe Lila’s lies, right?”

He quickly let go of her hand.

“I’m sorry they acted like that to you.” he assured her., slowly backing away. “I wanted to help you. I came to look for you… I’m sorry I was so late.”

“You didn’t do anything wrong.” she almost whispered as she walked past him. “I would never hurt you.”

She giggled and walked out of the classroom. Almost. She stopped at the doorstep.

“Wait… one more thing.” she turned back, looking at him. from her gloves extended five strings, that caught him and pulled her closer to him. Then, she kissed him. Then, she let go.

“I wanted to do this in a long time.” she said, still smiling. “Don’t apologize for anything. I’ve never been better.” As she walked away again, he heard her mutter to herself: “It’s them, who will be sorry.”

And he just stared at her.

***

It was Chloé, who broke the silence in the cafeteria after Adrien left.

“Really, Lila? That was a really low blow. Not even _I_ would do that.” Chloé looked at their classmates. “Why are you staring at me like that? Someone has to say it. Calling someone a _stalker_ because she doesn’t like you?”

“To be honest, she is pretty obsessive about Adrien.” Alya pointed out. “But maybe stalker isn’t the best way to say it.”

“Damn it… I don’t even like Marinette. But I have to be the one defending her?” Chloé seemed almost offended. “You all call yourself her friends, but when this… bitch starts spewing blatant lies about her, you just eat it up and turn against Marinette.”

Nobody spoke. But she wasn’t done yet.

“Marinette might be a pain sometimes, but she doesn’t deserve the shit you give her for basically nothing.” Chloé folded her arms. “You all are a bunch of hypocrites.”

A slow clapping came from the door to the cafeteria. In them stood Marinette. or something resembling Marinette. Vampire-looking version of Marinette.

“Couldn’t have said it better myself.” the akuma – because what else would it be – said. It _was_ Marinette.

She stepped inside of the room, wide smile on her face. But there wasn’t any of her usual kindness in it.

“I never thought I would say it, but get yourself somewhere else, before I change my mind.” she looked at Chloé. “You all, on the other hand…”

She reached out with har hand and the strings from her hand slammed the door. Then the others. Everyone was staring at her.

“I’m so disgusted by all of you. All I ever did was help you, give you everything I could and _this_ is how you repay me?” She looked at Alya. “Stabbing me in the back? Siding with the person, that made my life a living hell ever since she showed up in this school? Person, who willingly worked with Hawkmoth – three times nonetheless – because I called her out?”

“Sounds funny coming from an akuma.” Lila smirked.

“Oh, now, you’re reminding me… I have a message for you from Hawky.” The strings floated around Marionette’s gloves, before springing back into their place as simple decorations. “You thought he would pick _you_ for this? You, who have failed him twice already?” Marionette chuckled. “You, who chose to let a Miraculous slip through your fingers, because you couldn’t get over Ladybug calling out your obvious lies? You keep lying and you can’t even make it believable half the time. It was only a matter of time, before someone discovered it.”

Lila stood frozen.

“Actually… I’m going to do that right now.” she chuckled as she whipped her hand forward, the strings tying around Lila’s limbs. They glowed dark pink, as she pulled them back. A pink silhouette formed under her hand, tied to her glove with the strings. It took form of Lila.

The Italian went numb.

“Tell them, how is it really between you and Ladybug?” she smiled, as she sat down on one of the tables. Then, she stopped. “No, wait…” She looked at Alya again. “Maybe you should record this. There is a lot coming and I think people should see it.”

Alya begun looking for her phone, when Marionette clutched her fist. The Lila puppet disappeared and one of the beads on the lucky charm turned light shade of orange.

“I have a better idea. _Everybody_ needs to see this.” Another set of strings tied around Alya. More pink light and the puppet under her hand took shape of Lady Wifi. “Change of costume.”

Alya dropped her phone, as she transformed into Lady Wifi again. Nino jumped to his girlfriend, wide-eyed.

“She’s your friend!” he shouted at Marionette.

“Wrong. She pretended to be one.” Marionette shook her head. “As I said. Everyone needs to see this.”

Lady Wifi set up the camera, and Marionette leaned back on the table as another one of the beads turned – this time purplish black with the Wi-fi sign on – and the Lady Wifi puppet disappeared.

She called onto the Lila puppet again.

“Now, finally, Lila, tell everyone, how it really is between you and Ladybug?”

“We’re not friends.” Lila admitted. “I hate her.”

“Refreshing, isn’t it? Honesty.” Marionette chuckled. “Now, what’s next? Oh, yeah… how was it really with that _travelling around the world_ thing?”

“There wasn’t any travel. I didn’t even leave Paris.”

“How come you weren’t in the school then?”

“I lied to my mum. I told her the school was closed because of all the akumas.”

Marionette turned to the camera.

“Are you watching, Mrs. Rossi? I think you should have a little chat with your daughter.”

“Speaking of Chats.” From one of the windows looked down Chat Noir.

“Look what the cat dragged in.” she grinned. “Nice of you to join the party.”

“Leave them alone.” he jumped down and looked directly at her.

“But I was just getting started.” she sighed, standing up again. “Very well… let’s be done with you, so I can get back to this.”

“You seem way too sure you’ll beat me.” he mentioned.

“I never lost yet.” she grinned, as she transformed the Lila doll into a Volpina one. “Change of costume.”

Lila turned into Volpina.

“Entertain the kitty, would you?” Marionette smiled, and the doll disappeared again. The bead was still light orange, but this time, if bore the Fox Miraculous symbol.

Over her face appeared the pink outline, as Volpina attacked him.

“Why waste time like that?” Hawkmoth asked her.

“It’s easier to defeat someone, who’s already tired.” she replied simply. “I’m not stupid.”

From the outside came the sound of the akuma alarm, as everyone ran away from the cafeteria. The fight between Volpina and Chat found its way into the courtyard of the school. She got up.

“Plus… a distraction is always useful.” she smiled, as she walked slowly out of the cafeteria. She jumped up on the overlook. The couple was fencing with their weapons down below her.

“I wouldn’t be winning for so long, if I was stupid.” she added, before the outline disappeared. The strings on her gloves came alive once again and this time, they twisted together, forming a rope. She shup it around, before grasping it on the edge of the rood on the other side of the yard. Then, she swung the way she was used to as Ladybug.

Then, she let go and, still in the air, tied the strings around Chat.

“Leave him alone.” she ordered Volpina and her bead glowed pink. And so did the strings tying Chat, as she created a third puppet.

“Marinette, don’t do this!” Chat shouted at her. He couldn’t move otherwise. “M’Lady, where are you?” he muttered to himself, looking to the sky.

“Oh, she ain’t coming.” Marionette smiled.

“What did you do to her?” Chat asked her, as the puppet took his shape.

“I? Nothing?” Marionette shook her head, as she walked to him. She moved her finger and he extended his hand. “I’ll be taking this.”

And just like that, she took off his ring. He was surprised, when he didn’t transform back.

“The magic won’t let you transform back it seems. What do you think, should I let him go?” she asked, obviously addressing Hawkmoth, as she looked at the ring.

The butterfly mask appeared over her face.

“Do it.” he said only.

“As you wish.” she smiled and recoiled the strings. The puppet dropped to the ground and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

He dropped on his knees, as the magic disappeared. And after that, so did his transformation.

She stepped back in surprise.

 _Adrien_.

“Adrien?” she asked out loud, as the same words echoed to her in Hawkmoth’s voice.

The butterfly outline appeared over her face.

“Bring the Miraculous to me. Now.” he ordered her.

She didn’t reply. She just clutched the ring tighter, as she swung away.

 _Adrien_.

***

The whole courtyard stared at him. Nino ran to him.

“You are…” Nino asked him.

“Were.” Adrien corrected him. “Fuck…” he cursed. “Where is Ladybug?”

“I don’t know. But Alya… or whatever she’s now… she had recorded all of it. She’s… streaming it.” Nino told him. Adrien gasped. He knew, what that meant.

Everyone would know by the evening.

Not that it mattered, since his Miraculous was gone. Probably permanently.

“I should go home.” Adrien sighed. “I’ll call you… if I’ll get the chance.”

***

She followed the connection to Hawkmoth location. She found it pretty easily. She stepped inside of the dark room.

He was waiting there.

“You know Adrien?” she asked him, as she handed him the black ring.

“That’s none of your business.”

“I told you I’m not stupid.” she said, as she took off her earrings. “I saw, how you tried to protect him. Always.”

She stopped before taking off the second earring.

“What are you waiting for?” he asked her.

“He would understand.” she said. “He would have joined you. You always meant more to him than us.”

And she handed him the second earring.

“You’re really smart.” Hawkmoth nodded, when he looked at the Miraculous in his hands. “I was planning to take back your powers… but I think you deserve to keep them for now.”

She smiled and headed out of his lair again.

“You know there is a price for everything you do with them, right?” she said.

“There isn’t a price I wouldn’t be willing to pay.” he assured her.

“You’re wrong.” she raised her voice a little. “There is something you aren’t willing to lose… we both know, what it is. And so does the universe.”

She looked into his eyes. He knew, what she meant. Of course, he did.

“The question is… who will you choose?” she smiled and headed out again.

She was smart.

There was no denying it now.

***

She didn’t return to school. She looked at her bracelet and watched, as the two colored beads glowed pink, then lost their color.

She didn’t plan to reveal Chat’s identity… but she didn’t have much choice there.

She knew she couldn’t fight him.

And so she didn’t.

Malicious compliance.

She wasn’t completely herself, and yet she was more herself, than she could ever be.

She lost all inhibitions and for once in her life, wasn’t afraid. She gave Lila, what she deserved and got a bit back at her so-called friend, too.

But she didn’t hurt anyone.

She was in control.

She saw him in his room, through its giant windows. One of them was open.

She smiled and swung his way.

His eyes widened, as he saw her.

“What more do you want?” he asked her. “Did Hawkmoth send you to finish me off?”

“You have a lot to learn.” she chuckled. “Can I sit down?”

“I guess.” he sat down in his chair, folding his arms. She noticed, how he accidentally mirrored his father’s mannerisms. “What did you do to Ladybug?”

“I already told you. Nothing.” she shook her head. “Sorry… it’s a bit of a chaos up there.”

“You seem… calm.” he pointed out.

“The akuma amplifies my strengths… and my emotions. The worst combination ever.” she chuckled. “I think much faster than usually. Which is already enough.”

“I will ask again… what happened to Ladybug? Why didn’t she come? I know you didn’t have time to get to her.”

“I didn’t do anything to her.” she shook her head. “I couldn’t. It’s me.”

He stared at her blankly. She kept it a secret for so long, and now she so nonchalantly said it.

She seemed to regret it immediately.

“Another problem of being an akuma. No filter.” she sighed, a bit of color returning to her cheeks. “I’m sorry I revealed you like that. I wouldn’t do it, if he didn’t push.”

“You gave him the Miraculous, didn’t you?”

“I did. But… I don’t think he’s going to use them.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t think he’s willing to pay the price for his wish.” she said simply. “If my guess is correct. And it usually is.”

“By the way… I don’t think you’re a stalker.” he smiled at her. “What Lila did was wrong.”

“She won’t do it again. I assure you.” Marionette looked at her bracelet. “I think what I have shown today should be enough.”

“You know, what I told you about that.”

“Look at me.” she chuckled. “I’m an akuma. She won’t be doing any more trouble.”

“You seem so sure.”

“Might be a side-effect.” she shrugged her shoulders and tapped on the lucky charm. “You’ll see everything will get better from now on.”

“No, really, why are you so sure he’s not just… going to do something horrible with the Miraculous.”

“That’s not my place to say.” she chuckled and pulled something out of her purse. A box of macaroons. “You want one?”

“Why do you have _that_?” he asked, surprised.

“I stopped home on the way here.” she shrugged her shoulders. “I always have some ready.”

“Baker girl.” he chuckled, as he took one.

Someone knocked on the door. Adrien tensed up, as his father entered the room.

She smiled only wider and offered Gabriel Agreste a macaroon. The man shook his head.

“Father… I can explain…” Adrien begun.

“There’s no need for that. Would you…”

“Sure.” she said and got up, leaving room for Gabriel to sit.

“I should have expected you would come here.”

“I had to apologize.” she shrugged her shoulders. “In case I was wrong.”

Adrien’s eyes shifted between the two of them, trying to understand, what was going to.

“It’s good to see I wasn’t.” she added, walking to the window. “Should I leave you two alone?”

“It’s up to you.”

“Will someone tell me, what’s going on here?” Adrien asked.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Marionette asked back. “It’s not. Fine.”

“I’m not really good with explanations.” Gabriel admitted and reached into the pocked of his jacket, handing Adrien the Chat Noir ring. “So this will have to suffice.”

“Good thing you’re already sitting.” she chuckled.

“You… you are Hawkmoth.” Adrien whispered.

“Wow… took you long enough.” Marionette rolled her eyes. Gabriel glared at her. “Sorry.”

“No need to apologize.” he assured her.

“How long did you know?”

“I had my suspicion for over a year. I never dropped it. Even after the Collector incident.”

“I thought it was convincing.”

“The obliviousness is genetical, isn’t it?”

“Keep it.”

Instead of answering, Marionette made an obviously exaggerated bow.

“There is a long history to explain.” Gabriel finally said after a minute or so of awkward silence.

Marionette leaned on the wall and picked up the box of macaroons with the strings.

“Macaroon?”

***

It was already dark, when they finished. Adrien had a lot of questions and Marionette spend most of the time tying the strings together in whatever way came to her mind.

Then, Gabriel finally took even the Ladybug Miraculous from his pocket and handed them back to her.

“I’m sorry.” he said, at last, looking more at Adrien than at the girl, who used her reflection in the window to put her earrings back on. “To both of you.”

“You know, I was wrong about one thing.” she smiled, untying the bracelet from her hand. “You did help people. In a way.”

“That’s the akuma talking.” Adrien smirked skeptically.

“Possibly. Which reminds me… before I lose the ability speak in whole sentences in front of you… will you go out with me? On Saturday, maybe?”

“Why not.” Adrien blushed. Marionette summoned Tikki, who looked at her chosen in surprise, recognizing an akuma.

“I’ll explain later.” Marionette assured the Kwami, before she got a chance to ask. “Let’s hope I won’t forget.” she said and was ready to tear the lucky charm in half. Then she looked at Adrien.

“I don’t have Lucky Charm. I won’t be able to fix it.” she said, as she realized it.

“I’ll make you a new one.” Adrien smiled.

“Fine.” she nodded and torn the bracelet in half. The dark butterfly flew out of it, as she called for her transformation and caught the akuma.

Then, she gave the two men a smile and left through the open window without words.

It was a long day.

***

She walked into the school, nervous. After what happened the day before, she wasn’t sure, what to expect. Would they look at her as a creepy stalker Lila told them she was?

As the akuma, that exposed Chat Noir’s true identity?

Everybody seemed to look away from her. She walked to her locker and there, she met Alya.

The second girl hugged her so tight, that she almost couldn’t breathe.

“What…” Marinette managed to say, before Alya let her go.

“I’m so glad you’re okay… everyone was so worried. Since Ladybug never showed up… we thought…”

“I’m fine, really… I was actually worried, if I didn’t hurt you.”

“I’m fine, too.” Alya assured her. “And, you know, if you didn’t turn me into Lady Wifi again, I wouldn’t even care, that you were an akuma. I can’t believe I fell for Lila’s lies.”

“Thanks.” Marinette smiled.

“Do you know? Adrien is Chat Noir.”

“I was the one, who exposed him.” Marinette reminded her.

“I thought you wouldn’t remember… none of us did…”

“It’s… complicated.” Marinette sighed. “I can’t believe I did that to Adrien.”

“You know, what’s the weirdest thing? Everyone in the school knows it. They saw it… but nobody outside of the school – outside of our class really – seems to remember. I looked for the video, and it’s gone. Which is impossible… but it really is.”

“When there’s magic involved…” Marinette shrugged her shoulders. “What happened with Lila anyway?”

“I’ve heard her mum is coming to school. And something about boarding school in Italy.”

“Sounds too good to be true.” Marinette pointed out.

“We can hope, can’t we?” Alya chuckled. They walked into the class. Adrien was already there, looking at something on his phone.

“Oh… hey…” she smiled and blushed. Alya chuckled again.

“How are you doing?” he asked her.

“Fine.“ she assured him. “How did you…”

“I’ll explain everything after school.” he winked at her. “By the way… the date on Saturday is still a thing?”

“Yeah.” Marinette nodded.

“A date?” Alya asked, surprised.

“Akumas have no filter and infinite confidence.” Marinette shrugged her shoulders.

“That is an understatement.” Adrien mentioned. “But not necessarily a bad thing.”

“If you say so.”

***

There was something satisfying in watching Lila fuming, hoping for an opportunity to get revenge he knew wouldn’t come. Out of pure spite for what happened the day before, he walked out of the classroom holding Marinette’s hand.

Marinette was Ladybug.

That was the secret he had to keep now.

His father was Hawkmoth.

That was the truth he had to live with.

His father told them, about what happened to his mother, and about the promise to bring her back. About the terrible price he wasn’t willing to pay.

Marinette – Marionette – reminded him, that the universe has a way of punishing people, by making their wishes come true.

Ladybug, Marinette, Marionette, it didn’t matter. They were all the same in the end.

His father knew of the mistake he made, when he let Marionette reveal his identity. They found a way to try and fix it.

One last akuma, that made sure only few people were left knowing. People, who wouldn’t tell.

Adrien went to get the box from his locker, before heading out.

It was warm Friday afternoon.

“So, you remember?” he asked her.

“Yes.” she nodded. “Most of it, at least.”

“Father sends this.” Adrien said and gave her the plain white box. “To the Guardian.”

“His Miraculous?” Marinette asked for clarification.

“My mother’s.” Adrien shook his head. “It was damaged. That’s what killed her. Only the Guardians could heal the Miraculous.”

“So he’s kept the Butterfly Miraculous?” Marinette asked, as the two of them walked slowly to master Fu’s shop.

“For now. At least, that’s what he told me.”

“You think we can trust him?”

“You seemed pretty convinced about it yesterday.”

“I was akumatized. I’m not really sure my judgement was in the best condition.” _Since I told you, who I am_.

“You guessed right, that he wouldn’t sacrifice me for _her_.”

“Lucky guess.” she shook her head.

“Have you seen, how angry Lila is? She would probably try to rip your heart out akuma or not, if we had one more lesson.”

“I don’t know, who had to shout out loud we have a date, Kitty.”

“That’s not, what I was talking about. Usually, she would have been akumatized five time over, at this point.”

“That’s your proof we can trust your father with a Miraculous?”

“I trust him. If that means anything to you.”

“It does. I assure you of that.”

And they walked hand in hand into the house, their Kwamis floating around their heads.

**Author's Note:**

> Part two is out. Enjoy


End file.
